The post Google wants to exclude journalistic content from its search by Fabian Peters first appeared on BASIC thinking. You can always stay up to date with our newsletter.
Google apparently wants to exclude journalistic content from its searches as a test. 2.6 million users in a total of nine EU countries are said to be affected. Media organizations are horrified and are calling for the experiment to be stopped immediately.
As part of a test, Google wants to exclude journalistic content in new EU countries from its search. That comes from one report the media and human rights organization Reporters Without Borders (ROG). A total of 2.6 million users in Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Croatia, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain would be affected.
Google wants to exclude journalistic content from searches
According to ROG, the US company wants to investigate how the lack of media content affects the “attractiveness” of the Google brand. Together with other European press organizations, Reporters Without Borders is calling for the experiment to be stopped immediately. Antoine Bernard, Head of Advocacy at RGO, said:
The symbolic effect of the Google test is devastating – journalistic content would disappear from search results. We stand by European press publishers and are committed to ensuring that their content is fairly compensated on digital platforms. The end of the Google test is an essential prerequisite for this.
In an open letter, the signatory organizations write about a warning sign for European democracies and a danger to sustainable freedom of information “Made in Europe”. Publishers and journalists are deeply concerned about the Google test.
What is Google’s goal?
According to Reporters Without Borders, Google aims to indefinitely remove press content from its services for around 2.6 million people in Europe. Apparently the company wanted to measure its brand attractiveness. However, according to critics, the experiment represents a “threat to the financial sustainability of a free European media landscape, to European journalism as a whole and to the stability of European democracies.”
Due to its near monopoly in online searches, the US company has great influence on many citizens within the EU. For them, Google search represents important access to information and media content.
At a time when society and information are increasingly being manipulated, ROG said a company like Google must take responsibility and stop undermining people’s right to access journalistic content.
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The post Google wants to exclude journalistic content from its search by Fabian Peters first appeared on BASIC thinking. Follow us too Google News and Flipboard.
As a Tech Industry expert, I believe that Google’s decision to exclude journalistic content from its searches would be detrimental to the free flow of information and the public’s access to reliable news sources. Journalism plays a crucial role in holding powerful entities accountable and providing the public with accurate and unbiased information.
By excluding journalistic content from its searches, Google would be limiting the visibility of important news stories and potentially allowing misinformation to spread unchecked. It is important for search engines like Google to prioritize quality journalism and ensure that users have access to a wide range of sources when seeking information.
Furthermore, Google’s decision could have significant implications for the journalism industry, as it may lead to a decline in traffic and revenue for news outlets. This could further exacerbate the challenges facing the journalism industry, which is already struggling to adapt to the digital age.
Overall, I believe that Google should reconsider its decision to exclude journalistic content from its searches and instead work to promote high-quality journalism and ensure that users have access to diverse and reliable news sources. It is essential for search engines to prioritize the public’s right to access accurate information and support the vital role that journalism plays in society.
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